


Stardrop Saloon is loud on friday nights

by johnegbertkin



Category: Stardew Valley (Video Game)
Genre: All other characters play minor rolls, Ambiguous-Gender Player (Stardew Valley), Bar Fight, Bestfriend Shane, Gender Neutral Player (Stardew Valley), Husband Harvey, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-17
Updated: 2021-03-17
Packaged: 2021-03-25 15:06:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,842
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30090939
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/johnegbertkin/pseuds/johnegbertkin
Summary: After receiving a letter from Marnie, your farmer camps out at the Stardrop Saloon to make sure Shane doesn’t cause any trouble.aka, your Farmer gets punched in the face.Married to Harvey, Best friends with Shane.
Relationships: Farmer/Harvey
Comments: 2
Kudos: 13





	Stardrop Saloon is loud on friday nights

The hot summer sun blazed the back of your neck, breathing heavy and wiping your forehead clean of the river of sweat dripping down your face, you let out a deep sigh. The cute gardening gloves you were wearing were covered in dirt and the basket next to you was almost full of tomatoes, looking up you realized you had made a lot more progress then you had thought! You had been clearing out the last crop of Tomatoes to start seeding your Strawberries, since the buggers took months to even root, you learned to start early in the year, and it was hard work for sure. 

You finally finished, smacking your hands down on your thighs to signify a job well done before hoisting yourself off the ground, stretching out your legs, and shaking the dirt from your pants. 

Just as you began to lift your watering can off the ground you caught movement in your peripheral, turning and looking down to see Jas staring up at you, keeping her, usual, safe distance. 

“Well hello, Jas” you say with a smile, readjusting your grip on the handle to the can, the weight was no joke. “Hi…” she said quietly, lifting a letter to you, sealed and stamped with a familiar red insignia. “Oh, is this from you?” you ask rhetorically, assuming the letter she gave you must be hers. 

“No. Aunt Marnie wanted me to give it to you…” she shifted uncomfortably, picking at the embroidery on the trim of her dress “...she’s busy.” 

Odd one this girl, you think, nodding and slipping the letter into the front pocket of your stylish overalls. You bend down, relieving some stress on your arm, and balance the tomato basket on your hip, standing straight again with a grunt. “Well I've got to get back to work now, tell Marnie thank you!”

Jas nods, continuously shy as she kicks at the dirt with her shoe, turning and running back through the trees, down the path, and to Cindersap Forest. 

You shake your head with a laugh and shimmy the basket father up your hip, turning to the house and jumping. Harvey startling you as he leaned against the wall of the house, back from work. “AH- Harvey! Hello-“ you chuckle with a relieved sigh “you scared me!” 

Harvey blushed, embarrassed, waving and letting out a quiet laugh. “Sorry dear, I only just got back from the Clinic. You had a visitor?” 

“Oh! Yes i did” you answer, walking to him and up onto the porch, setting the watering can on the wood tile. Harvey ushered for your basket and you happily passed it over, shaking out your sore arm, and pulling the letter from your pocket. “It’s from Marnie, but Jas brought it up for her.” 

“Well what’s it about?” He asked, silly question seeing as it was obvious you hadn’t opened it. You slipped your thumb up into an open spot and ripped the seal, pushing up the envelope, and pulling the letter out. The handwriting was impeccable and signed big at the bottom so you knew exactly who it was. Marnie always put extra love in each letter. 

No recipe card this time, you turn the letter once, reading it allowed to Harvey. 

Dear Farmer, 

I’m sorry to be contacting you like this but I'm afraid it’s important to me and I’m trying to keep Jas out of it. My nephew Shane has had a bad problem with drinking and even worse ever since his sister passed, and though I wanted to keep it private, he’s been causing major problems in town for Lewis and everyone else too. I trust you, and I believe he’ll listen to you since you are neutral on the issue, assuming you haven’t been at Stardrop Saloon in the past few weeks. 

Meet me later tonight so we can talk. 

“-Love, Marnie” you ended, starting to realize you probably shouldn’t have read the letter aloud to Harvey, invading Marnie's privacy restrictions. 

Harvey made a true face of yikes before rubbing the back of his neck nervously. “Sounds serious,” he agreed, taking the letter softly from your hands and reading it a few times to himself. 

You rubbed your lips together, sighing and shuffling the basket back into your arms and pushing the watering can against the banister of the porch with your foot. Stepping down the steps and to your box, you neatly placed the produce in for Mayor Lewis, standing and staring at the tomato’s deep in thought. That’s some real deep shit to ask for help with but that’s a good sign, right? Marnie trusted you.

You let out a deep sigh and grabbed a few tomatoes from the top of the basket, holding them gently in hand and shutting the lid to the box. 

“What are you doing?” Harvey asked sweetly, leaning over the banister with the letter in his hands, following you as you made your way back up to him. 

“I’ll wrap these up for Marnie and go see her, I’m glad she trusts me” you smile, rubbing his shoulder and pushing the door open. He quickly followed you, leaving the door open so the summer air could come in. “Shane is a good guy…” you pause, slipping the tomatoes into a scrap piece of cloth “...well he’s a jerk but he means well and I'd help just about anyone for Marnie.” 

“Good point, she’s lovely, super patient” he smiled, his mustache was so damn cute. You reach up and pinch his cheek, affectionately rubbing your thumb over it. 

You tied a bow around the bundle and lifted it off the counter, looking up at Harvey and kissing him goodbye, trotting down the steps for the last time and through the forest, as Jas had, to Marnie's ranch. 

The sun was going down now so the walk wasn’t as brutal, the sun looked so pretty resting on the ranch, the well fed cows chewing and snacking on any grass that sparked their interest.

You shuffled comfortably on the stone path, knocking on the door and waiting. You didn’t usually knock, Hell you never knocked, but this seemed more formal. You weren’t stopping by for a visit or to talk about animal purchase, this was something important to her. 

Soon the pitter-patter of feet walked along the ground and the door creaked open, Marnie looking up at you with rosey cheeks and a genuine smile. She was so welcoming without words. “Hello Marnie, I got the letter, and I came bearing gifts!” you chirp, holding up the cloth to present. Her face gleams, even if Tomatoes weren’t her favorite, everyone appreciates a homegrown tomato slice on a burger or fresh sauce on a homemade pizza, and she pulls you inside.

“Thank you so much, dear, I’m so glad you decided to come” she took the tomatoes and led you to the kitchen, placing the gift on the table and admiring the shiny red fruit. The energy changed quickly though as her face fell and she sighed, looking at you sadly. 

“So, how can I help? What’s been going on?” you asked softly. She looked away and took in a sharp breath, seemingly emotional, collecting herself and turning back to you.

“Every day after work, Shane goes to that Saloon and gets drunk. Nothing I've done has ever worked and it’s always been something he’s had trouble with—since he was younger” She paused.

“Back when he lived in the city, I only saw him at family parties and things, he was living with his sister for a while when she first got sick. Every Holiday he’d get so drunk he’d make everyone uncomfortable, getting sick, and passing out. It was so heartbreaking—“ 

“....”

“Well then his sister got very dreadfully ill. He was taking care of Jas and he got so drunk he passed out, letting her sit in dirty diapers all night, not even her crying woke him up. He never forgave himself and stopped drinking for a few years. It was incredible, we were all so proud” 

Marnie stopped, her voice shaken up, wiping her eyes and fanning her face, laughing nervously. “Sorry, it's so hard to open up again, you understand right?” 

You nod but let her continue, she has more to say. 

“Well then...his sister passed away. Shane was beside himself with grief, he started drinking again, and he was neglecting his responsibilities. Finally I came to visit and saw things were far from okay and offered to rent him out a room at my Ranch, and Jas too of course, free of charge”

“He didn’t want to leave her house, but I got him to agree and he came home with us. Shane never got better, in fact he’s gotten worse, He’s never brought Jas into it before but his drunken fits are endangering the whole town and it’s only a matter of time before she sees. Not to mention Lew...Mayor Lewis is so packed with responsibility and breaking up another bar fight because of my nephew shouldn’t be one of them.” 

“How can I help?” you repeated, taking in all the information, processing it to remember when dealing with him. It sounded worse than you thought. 

“Tonight I was wondering if you could camp out at the Saloon, just until it closes, to see if he starts anything. If he does, confront him for me.” she seemed afraid to ask, as if it was embarrassing for her. 

“Yes of course, I’ll see what I can do!” 

Marnie thanked you ten folds, sobbing happily and thanking you again for the tomatoes. The two of you talked for a few more minutes before you head out, promising to fill her in on anything you saw or dealt with. It was a big favor for her to ask, but you didn’t mind helping her. 

The walk to town is short and now it’s dark, the lights to the saloon bright enough to wash over the sidewalk. Everyone seemed to be there, it was a Friday night after all. Abigail and her friends sat together and drank cola, Emily’s laughter filled the room, and Gus was shining another glass as Pierre talked with him at the bar. Pierre didn’t drink much, everyone knew he was there to make sure no one offered Abigail anything, and make sure she didn’t try and sneak one either. 

You saw Shane too, perfectly minding his own business and drinking by the jukebox. He seemed to be pacing, picking at a semi-well taken care of cactus in the corner. You shouldn’t stare long enough to give yourself away, and maybe find some place to sit down and blend in. 

Usually Marnie was sat with Mayor Lewis, talking like old friends do, but she didn’t make it tonight. You expected that much, especially since tonight could possibly be a special occasion for you. Regardless, you took this chance to sit with Mayor Lewis and fill in the empty space. 

“Well hello, Farmer!” He said delightfully, his unique drawl always so welcoming. You sat down, tipping an invisible hat to him, giving him a chuckle. 

“Hello, Mayor Lewis” you start “what are we drinking tonight?” 

“Oh, let me get you a cola” he teased, always poking fun at you about your young complexion. 

You sat and talked with Lewis, always the charmer, and people came and went with quick hellos and small talk. You had properly mixed in with the town at this point, and everyone knew your name and a few things about you at least. It was nice to finally feel like part of the community, especially when it seemed so one sided at first. You don’t think you’ve ever given so many gifts in your entire life! 

And what seemed perfect about this entire situation was that everytime you looked at Shane, he was quietly drinking alone. It was almost upsetting, no one sitting or talking with him, but to be fair, it seemed he had built quite the reputation. 

You wondered if maybe you should try and talk to him, maybe get on the topic of his drinking, but you had a feeling that would only cause more issues. 

The night started to draw to a close, Abigail, Sam, and Sebastian leaving first with Pierre soon after, Leah mixing in with Willy and Clint as they left too. The bar started to clear out and more people started standing, preparing to head out themselves. Perfect, the night was almost over and nothing bad had happened yet! Famous last words. 

Pam sat leaned over the bar, talking to Gus and Emily about something or the other, very drunk herself. Gus has obviously cut her off, Pam trying to weasel her way into a few more glasses. The Saloon would be closing in less than an hour, so Gus wasn’t serving anymore drinks period. The conversations had gotten quieter, the only laughter coming from Robin as Demetrius twirled her to the tunes coming from the Jukebox, and the quiet giggles coming from Jodi as Kent told her jokes. It was pleasantly calm. 

Lewis seemed to be growing quite the opposite though, noticeably tense and on edge. You try and get his mind off it, cracking jokes about jumping the counter to steal more to drink, which gets him to laugh. He finally turns his body comfortably to face you, starting to ask about Harvey, when an argument springs from the quiet. 

“Hey what the hell, man!?” 

“We aren’t doing this tonight, Shane, get lost!” Gus wasn't shouting, but he had a powerful voice when he put it to good use, still holding the towel inside of a beer glass. 

Mayor Lewis was out of his chair in seconds, leaving to try and defuse the situation. You couldn’t help but get involved, Marnie's orders! 

“You've been slipping Pam freebies all night, what’s that about?” Shane was yelling, and it was aggressive, everyone left in the bar now staring. You couldn’t tell with Jodi and Kent behind you, but the lack of talking gave you hints. Gus looked extremely fed up, frowning and slamming the cup down against the bar. 

“How dare you accuse me of that! Pam may be making jokes, but i’d never overindulge a customer!” 

“Liar!” Shane spit, throwing the can he had in his hands to the floor, what little beer was left spraying all over. Emily jumped, putting her hands to her mouth comically and bending to hide behind the counter. 

“Hey, hey, hey!” Lewis finally spoke up, waving his hands and standing between them, his tone calming “we don’t need to have this issue every night, Shane let me take you home.”’

“Get out of my way, I want just as much free shit that Pam has been getting!” his words were slurred, and if You didn't know any better, you’d assume Shane had no idea what he was really talking about. Pam looked defensive but wasn’t saying anything, now backed away from the counter. 

“Shane, please” Lewis asked again, putting a hand out to touch Shane and guide him to the door. Shane instantly rejected this advance, shoving his hand away. 

“Don’t touch me, asshole” Shane garbled, stumbling as he tried to keep his balance. It was so much worse than You could’ve ever imagined. You knew Shane was a good guy, deep down, and he wanted only good for his family and friends. He just wasn’t thinking straight right now, you had to help him. They just want to solve the problem in the moment, which is fair, but he needed long term help. It was time to step in. 

“Shane” Lewis attempted for a third time, reaching to touch him again as he distanced him from Gus and anyone behind the counter. 

“Touch me again, I dare you” He threatened, raising his fist. Lewis stepped backwards, the few people left in the bar gasping at the outward violence. Mayor Lewis put up his hands defensively, nodding and lowering his voice. Emily peeked her eyes up over the counter. 

“Look Shane, i’m not trying to make you upset, but you are scaring everyone and I just want to get you home safe!” Lewis was trying to reason to a brick wall, and Shane just started slinging swears. 

They weren’t handling this right, none of them were, and you were sure of it! If only you could get Shane to listen to you then it would go better, of course it would, and if he could see that he isn’t being antagonized then he would be more willing to calm down! Just like Marnie suggested. He had never acted like this around you, so maybe it would sober him up a little. 

You stood up, stepping closer to Mayor Lewis.

“Back the fuck up!” Shane shouted, another shocked gasp admitting from the crowd. He was being so vulgar, and it even made you uncomfortable. This town was quiet, and you had heard swearing before, you swore, but something about saying such a vulgar word in a small community bar sat weird with you. 

Shane rose his fist higher and you panicked, standing besides Lewis and reaching out to take his shoulder.

“Shane-“ you started, catching a look into his eyes until in a split second he had planted his fist against your cheek. It felt like a film, a sudden slow motion shot as he brought his hand down, and the sudden shock uprising in the room. His knuckles hit your jaw and you went straight for the ground, completely knocked off your feet as the back of your head hit the bar table you were previously sitting at. He hit surprisingly hard for someone so inebriated. The sounds of people beginning to shout and scream hit you but you didn’t even make it to the ground before you blacked out, your head barely leaving the edge of the table. 

and then BAM! 

The shine of a bright light hit your eyelids, blinking awake, ears ringing as you tried to sit up. You were quickly, and gently, pushed back down. 

Your eyes adjusted and as they focused, the worried green eyes of your husband looked back at you. A comfort filled your chest and you smiled, but he didn’t smile back. He was frowning, and his eyebrows were furrowed but not in the cute way they bunched up when he was focused, but in the way he looked when he spoke about his father. You quickly frowned with him as a swelling pain overwhelmed your head, worse than any migraine you’ve ever had, making your eyes water. You clenched your teeth, and concern filled Harvey’s face as you pressed his fingers into your temples. It was soothing, in a way you wouldn’t expect. 

You realized suddenly that you were still on the bar floor, a pillow propped under your head, a small group of people surrounding you. Harvey was sitting with his legs crossed, implying he had been sitting there awhile, in the same way he does when you get caught up with the chickens and he’s tired of crouching on his knees. ‘They don’t work like they used to’ you can hear him say now. 

“Are they awake?” the familiar and soft voice of Marnie asked, you turned your head to see her leaning over to talk to Harvey, eyes wet with tears. You smile at her, and as she glances down, relief fills her face. 

“Can I sit up now, Doctor” you tease, getting Harvey to smirk through his anger, nodding and helping you up like a toddler. You rub the back of your head and discomfort is evident on your face, Marnie affectionately rubbing your back. 

Everyone that saw the fight was still present, besides Mayor Lewis shockingly, and of course, Shane. The only new face was Marnie, and it was a welcomed one. Gus sat at the table closest to you, Emily talking his head off, Pam slumped and sleeping against the wall. 

“Did you all...really wait for me?” You asked quietly, turning to scan the room. 

“Of course we did!” Robin chimed in, crouching with no trouble, adding her hand to your sore back “We were so worried, that was the loudest punch I’ve ever heard in my life!” 

“You were really selfless to throw yourself in front of that blow for Mayor Lewis, he wanted to thank you himself but he had to take the little one home.” Demetrius joined in, lovingly twirling a strand of his wife's ponytail around his finger as he spoke. 

“The little one?” you asked in confusion, looking to everyone for an answer. 

“I had to bring Jax with me when Lewis called, It was so embarrassing” Marnie frowned, you just now noticing that she was in her pajamas, her hair somewhat messy. Robin gave her a gentle look, reassuring her that she shouldn’t be embarrassed with them. You look back to Harvey who was still sour. 

“Are you upset with me?” You asked quietly, pressing your forehead into his arm for comfort. 

“No, I’m not upset with you” Harvey quickly reassured you, rubbing your head and playing with your hair “It’s not your fault that Shane punched you!” 

“Where is he, anyway?” You ask, looking to anyone for an answer. 

“Well, after he hit you, he ran off” Gus chimed in, Emily slamming her hands on the table and lifting herself up to look over everyone’s heads to see you. 

“He didn’t wanna get tried for the murder, I think!” 

“Oh heavens no, he would never leave if he thought you were dead!” Marnie insisted, both women making you chuckle with how absurd that sounded.

“He probably ran out of embarrassment, I don’t think he wanted to get in trouble for hitting the wrong person!” Robin joined in, hands on her hips. 

“Kent and Jodi left to go find him a little bit ago, Robin ran down to the farm to get Harvey” Marnie continued with the story, gesturing to everyone as she said their names. You pulled up your knees, resting your chin on them in deep thought. Hopefully he was okay. You had been with Shane through some pretty terrible times, even when he barely knew you. You wouldn’t put it past him to drunkenly throw himself in the ocean, or wander back to that cliff… the thought was too horrible to put anymore time into. 

“I wonder where he went…” 

Everyone stayed put, no one wanting to miss anything by going home. Even grown adults get excited by drama every now again, even so late at night. Harvey gave you more attention, checking your head every so often and making you repeat concussion tests, helping you stand up and down, up and down, until you got lightheaded. It was annoying, but if you lost your balance, Robin would catch you. She had a very comforting hold, being so strong and all. 

It was 1am before any news of Shane was heard, Gus having given everyone lots of water to sober up, when Kent knocked on the locked Saloon doors. Emily ran over and unlocked it for him, everyone standing to attention to listen to him. 

“We found Shane on the dock, he wouldn’t agree to come with us” Kent pointed with his thumb over his shoulder, Marnie sighing in relief. 

“I’ll go get him” She shook her head, rubbing her temples in stress “As long as he’s safe, Farmer you really should get home. It’s late, you need some rest—“

“No, let me go talk to him-“ You tried to protest, but Harvey shut you down just as fast. 

“Farmer, you have always been selfless and kindhearted but tonight is not the night. He doesn’t need any more talking to” He reasoned “If he really wants to talk to you, he’ll do it himself.” 

You look down, knowing he’s right, agree to go home. 

Everyone left the Saloon together, all except Gus of course, who waved a goodnight to everyone before locking up. Walking, Harvey by your side, everyone parted and went their separate ways, calling goodnight and getting wells to you. The walk back was quiet, Harvey admiring the night sky, but laughed as he shivered from the cold. 

You squeeze him tight, laughing yourself, the both of you running inside and shaking away the chills. Pulling off shoes, sneaking passed the sleeping cat into the bedroom, the two of you strip into your pajamas and crawl into bed. Twisting into a tangle, you cuddle. 

Harvey puts his head on top of yours, his big hands stroking your bruised jaw gently, comforting. 

“You scare me half to death sometimes” Harvey said into the darkness, you nuzzle into him “You come home from the mines beat up, you come to bed exhausted from working all day, and now you get punched at the bar! Will you ever learn to take care of yourself right?” 

“Hmm… no, probably not” You smile against his chest, the doctor laughing softly. 

“I’m worried about Shane, I've always been worried about Shane. The amount of times he’s come into the clinic after…” He trailed off, pulling you closer. “He… he really needs help.” 

“I know” You mumble “I want to help him.” 

“You want to help everyone” Harvey tangled his fingers in your hair, sighing and relaxing into the pillow. 

“What can I say…. hrmp..hmm” You mumble, Harvey laughing and nodding. 

“Yup, the age old saying: “Hrmp Hmm”, spoken like a true scholar” He kissed your head, but you couldn’t laugh at his hilarious joke because you were already on the train to sleep town. 

It wasn’t until you woke up, alone in bed with the sun on your face, that you had time to laugh about it. Looking over at the bedside table, you can see your husband's glasses still folded up. Stretching out, groaning with a yawn, you get up and out of bed, wandering into the kitchen. There he was, your big lug, squinting without his glasses to brew a pot of coffee.

“Want these?” You mumble, handing him the glasses, which he took with a smile. Sliding them on, he showed you those dreamy green eyes. 

You pull out a chair, slumping into it, resting on your hand with closed eyes as you dozed off again. 

“Thank you, and good morning” He pulled out the pot, shakily pouring it into his mug, joining you at the table. You push back your hair, quietly listening to the sipping and birds chirping. 

“Ughhhh” you groan, stretching again “I have so much work to do today!” 

“You have so much work to do everyday-“ Harvey tried to say, looking at the door as a knock interrupted him. You turn around in your chair, scrunching your eyebrows and standing, “It’s only 7am, who could that possibly even be.” 

“Who knows” You groan, walking over in your pjs, pulling open the door. 

Standing on your porch, the sun hardly over the trees, you look at Shane. He’s in his day clothes, eyes on the ground, a crate in his arms. You sit up straight, turning your cheek to hide the bruise, rubbing your neck. 

You look back at Harvey, who was busy looking down at his textbook, folding it open in that way you always bullied him not to because it destroyed the spine. Stepping outside before he could notice, you shut the door softly, looking back at your visitor. 

“Good morning, Shane” You remain friendly, looking down at the crate in his arms. It was a wooden crate with Cindersnap Ranch painted in red along the middle panel, “Are you feeling better?” 

“Heh… Good morning, Farmer” He won’t look at you in the eyes, but that’s okay, “Yeah. I’m better” 

“You look better” You affirm him, putting your hands in the pockets on your pajama pants “I’d ask you to come in, but Harvey is still home. Don’t think he’d be too keen on seeing you right now.” 

“I don’t blame him” Shane shook his head “I really made a fool of myself last night…” 

Shane finally looks up at you, a frown on his face, and he did look sick. Sure, he looked a lot better sober than he did drunk, but the bags under his eyes and the disheveled hair really painted a picture. You wondered if tonight he’d go back to the bar, cause more problems, and apologize to the next person he punches in the face. 

“Speaking of…” he trailed off, urging you to take the crate from him. You do, begrudgingly, the wooden box being much heavier than it looked in his arms. He pushes hard up on the corners, you pull your head back to avoid getting smacked with the lid, “Not only did I want to say sorry, which I will give you an honest apology in just a sec, I wanted to give you something so you knew how sincere I was.” 

Shane reaches his hands into the crate, swearing under his breath as he pulls out the most incredible chicken you have ever seen in your life. A blue chicken, with curly feathers, and a tuft of long purple ones on its head. The chicken rests comfortably in his arms and you gaze in amazement. 

“I’m sure you’ve seen these running around Marnie’s place, and I wanted to give you one. She lays eggs, keeps em, or they taste pretty good too” He laughs. 

You put down the crate, Shane handing you the chicken like a newborn baby. You hold it close, the chicken completely chill as it checks out the farm. 

“Wow, Shane” You smile “This is awesome! Thank you” 

“But, that’s not all I came here to give you— no, owe you,” He stumbled “I owe you an apology.” 

You simply nod, ready to hear him out. 

“What I did was not only embarrassing for me, but completely uncalled for and, well, downright mean. Mayor Lewis told me that you only wanted to protect him, to talk to me, or something like that” Shane looks away awkwardly again “I should’ve never thrown the punch, let alone at you, and I’m sorry that I hurt you. Physically, and betrayed your trust as a friend.”

You smile at Shane, putting out a hand and putting it on his shoulder, nodding your head. You already knew you planned to accept it, before he even started. 

“Thank you, Shane” He smiles happily “and, of course, I forgive you. I wasn’t ever mad at you.” 

“I’m so relieved to hear you say-“ 

“But—“

Shane goes silent, looking back up at you. 

“I’m gonna be real with you, Shane” You get serious, hugging the chicken closer “You have a serious problem. I’m not the first person you’ve apologized to, Marnie told me. You can’t keep doing this to yourself and especially to your friends and neighbors.” 

“I-“

“I don’t want any excuses. I’m your friend through and through, and I know it won’t be easy, or overnight, but you have to really take a second and stop doing this to yourself. You are hurting others, sure, but most importantly you are hurting yourself” You squeeze his shoulder “You have to stop drinking.” 

Shane blinked at you, sniffing, but he didn’t look away this time. He softly smiled, nodding his head. 

“Wow Farmer, you… do you just always know what to say?” He laughs, but it’s a sad laugh. 

“No, not always” You smile back at him “I just care about you a lot. I’m passionate about helping you get better.” 

“I’ll try, I promise” He pumps a fist, as if signifying a victory. You just smile, petting the chicken. 

“I’m happy to hear that” You let go of his shoulder, letting your arm away at your side. 

“I...I oughta go. Before Jas wakes up, I told her I’d walk her to school today.” He picks up the crate and lid, holding them with much more ease than before. 

“Tell her I said Hi!” You wave, watching Shane walk away and to the bus stop, disappearing under the trees and brush. Your smile falls and you step off the porch, walking to the chicken coop, and placing the new chicken inside the fence. 

You hear the door of the farm house swing open, not looking up as footsteps approach you, hands grabbing the railing to kneel besides you. 

“I heard Shane as he left, is everything okay?” Harvey asks you, putting a hand on your head. 

“Yeah… he came by to apologize. It was a nice one, and he gave us this cool chicken” You point out, the little thing fitting right in as he ran around. 

“How interesting… is that coloring natural?”

“I don’t know, it didn’t come off on my hands” You say, looking at your palms and sleeves to double check.

“Well, i’m glad he came by” Harvey stands up, offering you a hand. You happily accept. looking at him.

“I want to say I think he’ll really try this time but,” You pause with a sigh, putting a hand on your head, “I don’t trust his empty promises anymore.” 

“I know, darling” Harvey sympathies, rubbing your back, “Maybe you’ll get to him, maybe you won’t. He can’t be your responsibility, Farmer.” 

You sigh, blinking as you are distracted by the drop of rain hitting your face. You look up, the storm clouds having rolled in so fast you hadn’t seen them, a few more drops hitting your face. 

“Oh shit” You swear, running along every coop, trying to rush and rangle the chickens back inside. They fight you, but you shove that door down with time. 

Harvey helps you, pulling the cattle by their neckties into the barn, some going willingly, some putting up a fight. The rain came down hard, You have to pick up each bunny and run them inside, getting completely drenched. You run back to the farm house, Harvey holding the door open for you, ducking inside. 

You shiver, laughing with Harvey at how soaked you both are. Looking outside, lighting strikes the rod, making you jump. 

“At Least you don’t work anymore” Harvey laughs, pulling off his drenched pajamas. You follow suit, changing back into warm clothes. 

“Laaaazy dayyy” You laugh, falling over on the couch. 

Harvey falls over on top of you, making you “oof!”, laughing as you rub his hair. Harvey curls up, face in your stomach, between your legs, wrapping his arms around your waist. 

Pulling apart his curls, you cuddle up with him, looking back outside just in time for another lightning strike. 

You smile down at him, pulling off his glasses and setting them on the side table, picking up the remote.

Flipping through the channels, of which you get very little variety, you turn on those bullshit fortune telling shows. Cozying into the couch, you close your eyes, listening to the woman talk and the sounds of the pounding rain on the windows, focusing on your husbands breathing.

**Author's Note:**

> Ive had this in my google docs since the beginning of last year and just recently got back into stardew and decided to finally post it! Might keep making these, maybe I’ll take requests? maybe leave some below if interested and I might write them!


End file.
